“Peace has in it confidence in the Lord: that He directs all things, provides all things, and that He leads to a good end.” - Arcana Caelestia §8455
Kempton New Church

Books of the Heavenly Doctrine:

The Heavenly Doctrine:


Through His servant Emanuel Swedenborg, the Lord has revealed how angels in heaven understand the Lord’s Word, according to its spiritual sense. The New Jerusalem, described in Revelation 21, symbolizes a new church that will be truly Christian. The books of the Heavenly Doctrine (also known as the Writings) reveal the inner or spiritual meaning of the Old and New Testaments; the nature of the spiritual world and the life after death; how the Trinity is united in the Lord Jesus Christ; the life of charity or love toward the neighbor, according to the Ten Commandments; the laws of the Divine Providence; the holiness and eternity of marriage; the nature of the last judgment; the inhabitants of some other planets; and many other wonderful things.

Book Descriptions:


Read any of these books online, or buy them online, or borrow them from the Kempton New Church Library. (directions and phone number)

Arcana Caelestia (Heavenly Secrets) uncovered, which are in the Sacred Scriptures or the Word of the Lord: together with wonderful things seen in the world of spirits and the heaven of angels. This is a work in twelve volumes, explaining in detail the spiritual meaning of the books of Genesis and Exodus, showing their application to the life of the Lord Himself on earth, to the states of a person being regenerated, and to the states of the churches on earth. As the subtitle indicates, there are many wonderful things about the life after death and many other topics as well.

The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine: From things heard out of heaven; prefaced by an explanation of the New Heaven and the New Earth [mentioned in Rev. 21:1] This book consists of 23 short chapters including love towards the neighbor, faith, repentance and remission of sins, baptism, holy supper, the resurrection, the Word, and the Lord. Each chapter is followed by extensive reference to passages in Arcana Caelestia.

Heaven and its Wonders, and Hell, from Things Heard and Seen, is a book provided by the Lord so that ignorance of the life after death may be enlightened and disbelief in it dispelled. Topics include that the Lord is the God of heaven; the clothing, homes, occupations and marriages of angels; the process of being resuscitated from death and being prepared for life in either heaven or hell; that the Lord casts no one into hell, but evil spirits throw themselves into it; and many more.

The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord This book is doctrine for the New Church that is now being established by the Lord, since the old church has come to an end; showing how to understand the passion of the cross, and what is meant by the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; especially that God is one, and the Lord Jesus Christ is the one God in one Person.

The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning The Sacred Scripture shows that the Word has a spiritual sense in every detail, which can shore up our belief that the Bible really is the Word of God.

Doctrine of Life from the Ten Commandments, explains that so far as anyone shuns doing or meditating evils, because they are sins against the Lord, to that extent he does good things, not from himself but from the Lord.

Angelic Wisdom Concerning the Divine Providence, explains the five laws according to which the Lord governs all creation, looking to the goal of forming a heaven from the human race; also explaining why evils are permitted.

The Apocalypse Revealed: in which are disclosed the arcana there foretold, which have remained hidden till now. The Apocalypse or Book of Revelation does not have to do with worldly but heavenly things - not of empires and kingdoms, but of heaven and the church and the eternal lives of men and angels. Chapters 4-20 describe the last judgment in the spiritual world, which took place in the year 1757; chapters 21 and 22, about the holy city New Jerusalem, are about a New Church, truly Christian, being established by the Lord since that time.

The Delights of Wisdom relating to Conjugial Love, followed by the Pleasures of Insanity relating to Licentious Love. "Conjugial" means relating to marriage. This book shows that true conjugial love is heavenly, spiritual, holy, pure and clean, more than any other love, and comes directly from the Lord God. It is full of conversations with angels and spirits.

True Christian Religion: containing the complete theology of the New Church, foretold by the Lord in Daniel 7:13-14 and in Revelation 21:1-2 This last book published by Swedenborg contains chapters on God the Creator, the Lord the Redeemer, the Holy Spirit, the Sacred Scriptures, the Ten Commandments, Faith, Charity, Repentance, Regeneration, Baptism, Holy Supper, the Coming of the Lord and the New Church, et al.; also including many accounts of his experiences in the spiritual world.

Read any of these books online, or buy them online, or borrow them from the Kempton New Church Library. (directions and phone number)